Is Your Mini Goldendoodle BIG? What’s Going On?
Miniature Goldendoodles are adorable, lovable, and smart. But best of all, they’re small! A Mini Goldendoodle often seems like the perfect pet: loyalty and playfulness like a Golden Retriever, the intelligence of a Poodle, minimal shedding, and an apartment-friendly size. But, sometimes things do not go as planned.
Is Your Mini Goldendoodle BIG? What’s Going On?
Is your Mini Goldendoodle big? Mini Goldendoodles come in a variety of sizes, based on their breeding. Mini Goldendoodles, specifically, range in size from 13 to 20 inches tall and weigh between 15 and 35 pounds. But, if your Mini Goldendoodle is larger than this, they may actually be a Medium or Large Goldendoodle.
So, how can you ensure that the furry friend you welcome into your home is not going to grow into a full-sized version of the breeds he comes from?
Why Is My Mini Goldendoodle So Big?
When you get a dog, you have certain expectations of how big they are going to get. But, if a dog exceeds that, often you find yourself with too much dog than you bargained for.
Let’s dive into what may have gone wrong if your Mini Goldendoodle is getting bigger than you thought they would.
Goldendoodles: Petite, Miniature, Medium, or Large
Goldendoodles come in four sizes. A Petite or Micro Goldendoodle stands 10 to 13 inches tall and weighs 8 to 15 pounds; a Miniature Goldendoodle is 14 to 16 inches tall and 15 to 25 pounds; Medium Goldendoodles are 17 to 20 inches tall and weigh 30 to 45 pounds, and the Standard Goldendoodle is 21 to 24 inches tall and weighs up to a whopping 75 pounds!
Perhaps you were expecting a Petite Goldendoodle, but you ended up with a Mini Goldendoodle instead. If this is the case, I have no doubt you will have already fallen too much in love to change your mind. How big is too big?
Consider the Parents
Mini Goldendoodle size cannot be guaranteed, but an excellent way to be sure your dog will be a truly small Mini Labradoodle is to look at its mom and dad.
If your dog came from a reputable breeder, chances are there are photos of his parents on the website.
If both mom and dad are tiny dogs within the Mini Goldendoodle range, yours will most likely follow. If you have the time to plan, some breeders will take requests for preferred size.
Toy or Teacup?
First of all, consider that a Mini Labradoodle is not a teacup breed of dog. Teacup dogs are bred to be extra-small. Common health issues for teacup dogs include heart defects, digestive problems, respiratory issues, and vision problems.
Mini or Toy dogs are not meant to be as small as teacup dogs but should still be much smaller than their full-sized parents or grandparents. But I understand: you wanted a little dog. It can be beneficial to understand your Mini Labradoodle’s history.
Is Your Mini Goldendoodle an F1 dog?
An F1 dog is a first-generation mixed breed from two purebred dogs. For instance, a purebred Golden Retriever crossed with a purebred Miniature Poodle is an F1 Mini Goldendoodle. An F2 Mini Goldendoodle is the result of breeding two F1 Mini Goldendoodles.
Your chances of having a Mini Goldendoodle on the small end of the scale is better if the parents are F1, F2, or beyond. If possible, find out your dog’s history. Not only can it help you predict the ultimate size of your pup, but you might also gain valuable health information.
Multigenerational Mini Labradoodles
Once a breeding tree goes beyond F2 or 3, the benefits provided by the purebred dogs they represent may become diluted. For instance, the purebred miniature poodle does not shed as much as other dogs, but as that purebred quality crosses again and again with other crossbred parents, shedding may become a problem.
What other attributes in the purebred versions of the Mini Labradoodle breed do you value? It’s worth considering how far down the breeding line your puppy has come while you may be assured of his small stature, you may be sacrificing other benefits from new generations.
The Bigger the Poodle…
There are several types of poodles used in breeding Labradoodles, and your dog’s ancestors hold the key to its size. The smallest Poodle, the Toy Poodle, resulted from breeding the smallest Miniature Poodles, which range in size from twelve to fifteen pounds. Standard Poodles, weighing up 55 pounds, are used for breeding standard-sized Labradoodles.
Since Golden Retrievers are not bred to be small, the size of your Labradoodle will be determined by your breeder’s Poodle size. Was his mom or dad a Toy Poodle? Perhaps he was more of a Mini Poodle if your Mini Labradoodle is pushing the edges of his expected weight range.
Rescued Mini Labradoodles
Many of our doggie-companions don’t come from breeders. Perhaps you picked up your new companion from a shelter or a neighbor who had to rehome a pet due to allergies or rental restrictions.
If you don’t know your Mini Labradoodle’s genetic history, look at his paws. How do they compare to his current body size? Do they seem way out of proportion, as if he’s toddling around in snow boots? Larger feet can indicate a bigger adult dog. He may need those broad paws to support his weight as he gets older!
How do Mini Labradoodles Stack Up Against Other Mini Breeds?
There are many reasons to choose a small dog.
- Easy to keep in small places
- Consume less food
- Smaller poop to clean up
- Portability and ease of travel
- Won’t knock down children & elderly people
- A longer lifespan than big dogs
Although a small dog is generally considered to be less than twenty-two pounds, according to the AKC size chart, other breeds considered Mini are all over the board.
- Miniature American Shepherds weigh between 20 and 40 pounds
- Miniature Schnauzers weigh between 11 and 20 pounds
- Miniature Pinschers weigh between 8 and 10 pounds
So, a 35 pound Mini Labradoodle is still quite a bit smaller than its Golden Retriever mom or dad who steps on a scale measuring between 60 and 95 pounds.
Size Versus Temperament
Petite Goldendoodles, the smallest of the Doodles, are energetic and friendly. They love to please and are easy to train. Miniature Goldendoodles are very social and exude personality. They require playtime and can become bored.
Medium Goldendoodles’ need their people just like their smaller counterparts and will become lonely and depressed without someone to bond with.
Finally, Standard Goldendoodle’s personality will be much like its parents. As a rule, they are social and intelligent, always happy to be by your side.
Remember, a Mini Goldendoodle is a mixed breed and is less prone to heart and thyroid problems, bone issues, and cataracts.
You can read more about sturdy mixed breeds versus pure-breads at Dogs Naturally Magazine. So, no matter how big your Mini Labradoodle gets as he ages, he is likely to be a healthy pet, which keeps your vet bills down.
My Mini Goldendoodle is Huge
Expectations are often meant to be broken. If you were expecting a small dog and ended up with one a bit bigger, hopefully, you can still accommodate them in your home.
Even if your Mini Goldendoodle is not the tiny ball of fluff you were hoping for, consider that this loyal, bouncy, big bundle of joy loves you with a heart much more significant than his not-so-mini size. And his fondest wish is for you to love him half that much.